Strong quake hits Mindanao, no damage reported so far

DAVAO CITY — The 7.2-magnitude quake that struck at Celebes Sea, 53 kilometers southwest of Sarangani Island in Davao Occidental, around 4:23 a.m.

Saturday caused a sudden rise in water level; but no damage had been registered so far, Harry Camoro, the provincial disaster risk reduction management officer, said.

Camoro said no one was reported injured in the quake — which authorities said had affected 15 Mindanao provinces and six cities — that had a depth of 57 kilometers.

The quake was felt at intensity 5 in General Santos City and Davao Occidental areas adjacent to Sarangani town on Sarangani Island; intensity 4 in the cities of Davao, Cotabato and Zamboanga; intensity 3 in Cagayan de Oro City; and intensity 2 in some North Cotabato areas, including Kidapawan City.

“The tsunami warning had been lifted also as of 7:30 a.m.,” he told the Inquirer.

The quake had since generated four aftershocks, the strongest of which was at 4.1 and was registered at 4:54 a.m., even as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it expected more aftershocks over time.

In Zamboanga City, where the quake was felt at intensity 4, Engineer Allan Rommel Labayog of Phivolcs said they were also expecting reports of damages.

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